I picked up a brand new Wallace practice mute last month after reading some rave reviews about it.
Some good points about the mute - first it mutes the sound very well. My wife could nap while I'm in the same room while practicing with the mute on. Next, the response is pretty good for a practice mute. It's not as stuffy as the Yamaha Silent brass for example. It's really well made - spun aluminum with thick foam that goes into the bell of the horn, and a bit of foam at the top of the mute - it probably helps the response quite a bit. It's also very compact compared to the other practice mutes I've tried. It is a dedicated practice mute, and not a travel mute though. Also the sound that comes out is very "soft" kinda like the Silent Brass, but unlike the other metal practice mutes I've tried. The metal mutes I've used all sound, well, metallic. The Wallace mute doesn't have that edge on it - which I like.
Despite all the positive points, I have decided that it's not for me. I was having a hard time staying in tune above middle Bb. When I focused a little more, I could find the pitches better, but it wasn't natural for me, and so I decided to look for another practice mute.
I'll likely be posting it for sale soon. This isn't my picture, but it looks just like it, and it's in brand new shape still. I'll post pics when I get them.
Some good points about the mute - first it mutes the sound very well. My wife could nap while I'm in the same room while practicing with the mute on. Next, the response is pretty good for a practice mute. It's not as stuffy as the Yamaha Silent brass for example. It's really well made - spun aluminum with thick foam that goes into the bell of the horn, and a bit of foam at the top of the mute - it probably helps the response quite a bit. It's also very compact compared to the other practice mutes I've tried. It is a dedicated practice mute, and not a travel mute though. Also the sound that comes out is very "soft" kinda like the Silent Brass, but unlike the other metal practice mutes I've tried. The metal mutes I've used all sound, well, metallic. The Wallace mute doesn't have that edge on it - which I like.
Despite all the positive points, I have decided that it's not for me. I was having a hard time staying in tune above middle Bb. When I focused a little more, I could find the pitches better, but it wasn't natural for me, and so I decided to look for another practice mute.
I'll likely be posting it for sale soon. This isn't my picture, but it looks just like it, and it's in brand new shape still. I'll post pics when I get them.
Comment